Mechanical exercising device of the motor driven type



W. J. MCMARLIN ET AL Filed Oct. 4, 1928 MECHANICAL EXERCISING DEVICE OF THE MOTOR DRIVEN TYPE Sep. 15, 1931.

Patented Sept. 1.5, Q

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J'. MCMAR'LIN AND LESTER S. GUNDERMAN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA MECHANICAL EXERCISING :DEVICE OF THE MOTOR DRIVEN TYPE Application led Qctober 4, 1928. `Serial No. 310,224.

This invention relates to exercising devices of the motor driven type, and is directed to an exercising device-of this character kpro!k vided with a footrest by'means of which the operator may vibrate his feet and lower limbs. Y f f This invention is especially applicable to exercising devices of the type shown inthe copending application of Harry E. McCoy, Serial No. 297,827, iiled August 6, 1928. In the said McCoy application, there is disclosed an exercising device of the motor driven type wherein a horizontally extending arm is os cillated about a vertical pivot by means of an eccentric at the end of a motor shaft, which eccentric bears against a right angle extension on said horizontal arm. According to a preferred embodiment of our invention, we provide a footrest which is applied directly to this arm and which'is preferably in the nature of an attachment, the arrangement being such that when the arm is oscillated, the :tootrest moves with the arm, and in addition, a vertical reciprocating orrvibrating movement is transmitted to the footrest.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment 'of our invention and', in which Y f Figure l is a plan view of an exercising device oi` the McCoy type having the footrest applied thereto;

Figure l2 is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the machine shown in Figure 1;"

Figure 8 represents a longitudinal verti-h cal'section along the footrest and oscillating arm, as showing the 4manner'of connection between the arm and thefootrest; and" y Figure 4 is a view generally similar to Fig'- ure 3, the ends of the arm and the footrest being broken away, this View showing' a slightly modified arrangement wherein a greater Yamount or" vertical movement is im parted to the footrest.

In the drawings'2 designates a base which supports a vertical pin 3, The pin 3 passes through the middle of a horizontal bar'or arm 4. Extending 'rearwardly from the middle of the arm 4 is an extension 5 having a bearing therein which cooperates with an eccentric at the end of the shaft 6 of a mot-or 7 The motor 7 is also carried on the base 2. The eccentric'mechanism is disclosedI in the said application of HarryA E. McCoy, Serial N o. 297 ,827,'-and forms no part of the present invention. For convenience in understandingv the operation, however, this is shown to some extentin Figures lV and 2. kThere is provided on the end of the shaft 6 an eccentric disc 6"L operating within a ball ring 6b, a series of ball-bearings 6c being confined between the -periphery of the disc 6a and the ring 6b. By reason of this arrangement the disc 6a rotates within the ring 6b, and the ring 6b is displaced laterally and rvertically with the rotation of the eccentric. The housing 5 is provided with `vertical wear plates 5a against which the outside of the ring bears, the width of the housing being such that the outside of the ring is in contact with the wear strips at all times. There is suicient vertical clearance, howevenso as to permit the ring 6b to slide up and down on the wear strips. vBy reason vof this arrangement the lateral displacement of the eccentric is transmitted 'to the vibrating arm to oscillate it in a horizontal plane while the vertical component of its movement is not transmitted to the vibrating arm. On thearm 4 at each side of the central pin 3 are one or more hooks 8 to which 'straps (not shown) can be attached in the use of the exercising device.

- According to the present invention, we provide a footrest in the form of a plate 9 which sets over the bar 4. On the underside of the plate 9 are; downwardly extending pins 10. There are at leasttwo of these pins'lO, one at each side of the center, and they are slidably received in openings 1l, provided in the bart for their reception. On theunderside of the footrest 9, at the' middle thereof, there isA preferably` providedr a downwardly extendinglugl2 with a pad or block of rubber or other nonmetallic'substance 13 therein. VThe rubber block l'is adapted to rest on the top of the rearward extension 5 of the oscillating cross bar and to steady the foot-rest to some extent. A In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, the

top of the pin 3 is provided with inclined surfaces 14, which surfaces are also shown in Figure 2. Depending from the underface of the plate 9 are lugs 15. There is one of these lugs at each side `of the center of thepin 3, and the lowermost ends of the lugs are adapt ed to rest on the head of this pin so as to engage the inclined surfaces 14.

In the operation of the device, the bar 4 is oscillated about the pin 3 upon operation of the moto-r 7. This oscillating movement is transmitted to the footrest 9 through the pins 10. The pin 3 is stationary with respect to the cross bar 4 and the footrest 9 so that as the footrest 9 oscillates, the lugs 15 ride up and down on the inclined surfaces 14 on the head of the stationary pin 3. In this Way, a vibrating movement up and down is transmitted to the footrest While the footrest is loscillating in a horizontal plane.

In .the arrangement shown in Figure B, the lugs 1.5 are relatively close to the center of movement of the bar 4 and of the footrest so that the travel on the inclined surfaces 14 is relatively short and the vibrating movement consequently is very light. In order to secure more eifective vibration of the footrest, the arrangement shown in Figure 4 may be used.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, designates the pin correspondingto the pin 3 and 21 isthe oscillating cross bar or arm. The footrest is designated as 22 and on the undersurface thereof are pins 28correspon'ding to the pins 10 of the structure previously described. Depending from the undersurface of the foot-rest 22 are spaced apart lugs 24, one of these lugs being at each side'of the vertical axis of the pin `2O. Passing through the head 25 of the pin 2O is a. rod 26.

The arrangement is Asuch that when the bar v21y oscillates about the pin 20, moving the footrest'22 with it, the lugs 24 will strike the ends of the rod 26and thus effect a verti-cal vibration of the footrest. The ends Yof the lugs 24 are rounded solas to ride over the top of the rod 26, the rod 26 taking the place of the inclined cam y'surfaces 14 of the construction vshown in Figures 2 and 3. The advantage of this arrangement is that the lugs 24'are further away from the center of oscillation 'so that the arc of movement jis relatively V'greater and 'a vcorrespondingly greater vertical movement can be imparted to the footrest.

Exercising devices of the motor driven type, now on the market, do not provide any arrangement by means of which the user can sit on a chair and 4impart a vibrating motion to the feet and lower limbs.` According to the present invention, a machine is provided Whereinthis can be done and wherein the vibration is in tivo directions, thus increasing the stimulating action of devices'of-this character. vThe inventionis preferably constructed as an attachment for the McCoy type of exerciser, but obviously We do not limit ourselves to the use of the invention in connection With any particular type of machine and the invention may be variously modified to adapt it to di'erent types of exercising units of this character.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a mechanical exercising device, a vibrating member supported for movement in a horizontal plane, a footrest mounted on said vibrating member for movement therewith, and means for imparting a vibration in a vertical direction to said footrest upon movement thereof in a horizontal plane.

v2; In a mechanical exercising device, a footrest, means for moving the footrest back and forth through'an arc in a horizontal direction, and means for simultaneously moving the footrest u and down when the footrest is moved bac and forth.

.3. In-amechanical exercising device, a horizontally extending bar mounted on a vertical pivot, means for oscillating the bar, and a footrest removably carried on the bar.

4. In a mechanical exercising device, a horizontally extending bar, a vertical pin about Which the bar oscillates, means for oscillating the bar, a footrest on the bar movable up and down relatively thereto, and cooperating means on the pin and the footrest for im parting vertical movement to the footrest upon oscillation of the bar.

5. In a mechanical exercising device, a horizontally extending arm, a stationary pin about which the bar oscillates, means for oscillating the bar, a footrestsupported above the bar'having pins thereon slidably received in openings in the bar, and cooperating means on thefootrest and said stationary pin for effecting a vertical movement of the footrest upon oscillation of the bar.

6. In a mechanical exercising device, a horizontally extendinv bar having spaced openings therein, a stationary pin about which the bar oscillates, a right angle extensionon the bar, means cooperating with the extension for oscillating the bar, a footrest mounted on the bar and having pins thereon slidably received in the openings inthebar, and cooperatingmeans on the stationary pin and the bottom of the footrest for imparting a vertical vibrating movement to the footrest upon Y oscillation of the bar, anda .pad on the under ing the element, said element having a wide surface at each side of the axis adaptedto provide a footrest, and means below the element and shielded by the element to which straps may be connected.

9. In a mechanical exercising device, a vibrating member adapted to oscillate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, means for vibrating said member, said member having a relatively wide surface with a forward inclination adapted to provide a footrest, the inclination permitting the user to brace 'his feet on the footrest while seated on a chair.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set WILLIAM J. MCMARLIN. LESTER S. GUNDERMAN.

our hands. 

